1. Field of the Invention
This device is intended for, though not limited to, the collection and subsequent disposal of small domestic animal solid refuse, and is related to those devices employing a long handled scoop or shovel, with or without a fixed or removable receptacle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wide variety of methods and devices have long been employed for the unpleasant task of collecting and disposing of domestic animal solid wastes. With more and more communities passing ordinances and levying fines for failure of pet owners to adequately collect and dispose of their pet's excrement, the need for a simple, clean, and efficient method of compliance is clearly demonstrated.
Current methods in general use involve collection with paper towels, plastic bags, rubber gloves, trowels, long handled scoops, shovels, or almost any combination of the above. Disadvantages are present with all of the aforementioned. The direct (or hands-on) approach brings the pet owner into tactile and olfactory contact with the offending matter, a prospect deemed unpleasant by many as evidenced by the vast number of scoop-type devices sold in pet stores. These scoops only postpone the unpleasantness, for the scoop itself comes in contact with the waste and then requires careful handling and subsequent cleaning.
An example of a typical prior art solution to the problem may be found in the refuse retrieval device of the Hastings U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,468. While this device makes the pet waste pick-up task more convenient by enabling it to be performed remotely, without stooping, it is still subject to the disadvantage of the scoops described above, in that it must be carefully cleaned of the residue of collected waste before it is stored until further use, or it will result in the offensive odors and dirt being brought inside from outdoors. Like all of the other known prior arrangements, this device does not provide for collection in a disposable container, which is really the only completely satisfactory solution to the problem.
None of the currently available devices or methods which are known is as satisfactory in use as the invention disclosed herein. This device fills a long-felt need, for it eliminates contact with the waste on the part of both the operator pet owner and the reusable portion of the collection device, all the while collecting and packaging the waste in a sealable container for convenient disposal.